Machine for operating on shoes



Dec. 16, 1941. B. JORGENSEN 2,266,120

MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 16, 1941. B. JORGENSEN MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1941 iatentecl Dec. 16, 1941 UNlTED STATES PATENT ori ice -ti- MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N sHoEs Bernhardt Jorgensen, Marblehead, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 25, 1941, Serial No. 375,891

24 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating on shoes, and is herein illustrated as applied to a pulling-over machine of the same general type as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,029,387, granted on June 11, 1912, on an application of R. F. McFeely. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to machines of that type and that in various novel aspects also it is not limited to pulling-over machines.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for slitting the margin of an upper as an aid to lasting or to an operation prior to lasting, a more immediate object being to slit the upper materials at the opposite sides of the toe to facilitate removal of the margin of one or more inner layers of the materials around the toe when the toe end of an upper is lasted, for example, with cement. It is a further object of the invention to provide upper-slitting means which may be readily incorporated in existing machines, such as pulling-over machines of the type illustrated in the above-mentioned Letters Patent. For the purposes in view, the invention in its illustrated embodiment provides upper-slitting knives which are guided in their movements by the side grippers of a machine of the above-mentioned type to slit the margin of the upper in predetermined relation to these grippers while the upper is held under tension by the grippers, the knives being so supported and controlled that the grippers determine their positions lengthwise of the last but are movable relatively to them widthwise of the last in operating on the upper in the manner characteristic of such machines. the construction shown the knives are supported on a knife carrier which is mounted for swinging movements heightwise of the last and are held yieldingly against guiding faces on the grippers by springs supported on the carrier. It will be evident that such upper-slitting means may be incorporated in an existing machine without in any way affecting the construction of the grippers or of their operating means.

The invention further provides simple and effective mechanism, likewise readily applicable to existing machines, for imparting operative movement to the upper-slitting means. As herein illustrated, operative movement is imparted to the above-mentioned knife carrier by a fluidoperated device to which compressed air is admitted and from which the air is released automatically in proper time relation to other operations of the machine, the knife carrier being returned by a spring when the air is thus released.

For controlling the flow of air to and from the fluid-operated device the construction herein shown comprises a valve which-is moved into position to admit the air to the device and is then returned by a, spring into position to release the air in response to continuous movement in one direction of a valve-controlling member. For thus controlling the valve use is conveniently made of a slide with which a machine of'the illustrated type is provided for operating devices which clamp the upper at the opposite sides of the last while it is held under tension by thegrippers. The knives are, therefore, quickly operated to slit the upper and are then immediately-returned to their starting positions. g

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims. 3

Inthe'drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in right-hand side elevation of the upper portion of a machine of the type mastrated in the above-mentioned Letters Patent with the present invention embodied therein-the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy after the pulling of the upper but'prior to the slitting of its margin; a 1 Fig. 2 is mainly a plan view showing the upperclamping devices andparts associated therewith; Fig. 3 is a perspective front View of a portion of the machine, showing the parts as they appearat the end of the upper-slitting operation;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in left-hand side elevation and .partly in section, showing certa'in'parts as they appear at the same time in the operation of the machine as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV of Fig. 2

and r Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the toe portion of the shoe after the operation of the machine thereon. Y I

As common in machines of the illustrated type, the machine herein shown is provided with a'toeend gripper 2 and with a pair of opposite side grippers 4 for gripping and pulling an upper, -re-' spectively, at the end of the toe and the sides of the forepart. Each of the side grippers 4 is a duplex gripper, comprising front and rear'pairs of jaws 6 and 8 for gripping the upper compara tively near the end of the toe and farther from the end of the toe, respectively. The two pairs of jaws and 8 are mounted, respectively, on gripper casings l0 and I2 through which upper-pulling movements heightwise of the last are imparted to the jaws, the position of the shoe heightwise in the upper-pulling operation being determined by engagement of the insole with a shoe rest [4. A machine of this type comes to a stop after the pulling of the upper and while the grippers are holding it under tension, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to permit the operator to make any necessary adjustmentof the upper relatively to the last. After the machine has again been started, upperclamping devices I6 (Fig. 2) are moved into positions to clamp the upper against the sides of the forepart of the last and to support the shoe against downward movement when the margin of the upper is thereafter wiped inwardly over j the insole and fastened to the insole. These upper-clamping devices are carriedby side clamp arms l8 which are pivotally mounted a'ti2ll on the head of the machine and are provided with .inwardly extending gear segments 22 in engagement withrack-barsl i. The rack bars are operatedyieldingly through springs 26 by ahorizontally movable slide 28 provided with a roll =30 which isengagedby a cam .3 21 (Fig. 1) to operate the slide as fully disclosed in-the previouslymentioned Letters Patent. .The swinging of the-upper-clampingdevices 16 inwardly into engagement -with the shoe is eifectedtby rearward movement of the vslide 286. e., movement toward the rightas the;parts are viewed in Figs. 1 and .2). Return=movement-of the slide to return the-upper-clamping devices is effected, when permitted by'the'eam -3Z,-by a spring 34 connected atone end-to a bracket 36 fast on the slide and at the other end to a clip 38 fast on the head of themachine. Following the clamping of the shoe by the-clamping devices IS, the margin of the upper is wiped inwardly .over theinsole by wipers carried,,,respectiv,ely, by a frontarm wand opposite sidearms42, only oneof the side arms ,beingvisihis in the drawings (Fig. 1). The wiper (on the front arm is shown at 43. These armsare swung inwardly toward the shoe thus to operate the wipers and they act in their inward swinging movementsto cause the grippers, whichtare also swung inwardly, to-release the upper. The arms 4fl and 42-also carry, as usual,.devicesfor driving tacks at the end andthe sidesuof the toeto'fasten the upper in pulled-over position, as;illustrated in Fig. 6, after the inward,swinging'movementsof the arms. After the driving .of the =tacks "the parts of the-machine are returnedatotheir starting;positions.

For purposes of this invention therelis secured to .the head of the machine a bracket '44, and pivotally mounted on pins 46 :on this bracket to swing about an axis extending vwidthwise of .the last is a U-shaped knife carrier 43. 'Pivotally 'mounted-ona pin Ell-on each ofithearms of the U-shaped carrier 48 is a knife holder 52 on which is seemed an upper-slitting knife ;54. These knives are ,pressed against'the front or toewardly facing surfaces of the front side grippercasings H] by "meansof springs 56 on the carrier-48 which tendtoswing the holders.52 rearwardly about the pins The front surfaces of these casings, therefore, and thegripperjaws below the casings serve as guides-for the knives in their. upper-slitting movements heightwise of the last, so that the slitsformed-thereby in the margin of :the upper materials are in predetermined relation to the front side grippers. It will be evident-,that-these grippers determine the positions of the knives lengthwise of theslastin-the uppereslitting operation, but are movable relatively to the knives widthwise of the last, the knives being wide enough to maintain contact with the grippers in all positions of the latter widthwise of the last. A spring 58 connected to the bracket 44 and to one arm of the knife carrier 48 tends to retract the knives heightwise of the last and holds them initially in retracted positions determined by engagement of that arm of the carrier with the bracket, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Under usual conditions the knives in their retracted positions are in contact with the grippers, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In order, however, to prevent interference between either of the knives and the side arm 42 at the same side of the machine when this arm is swung inwardly, in case the gripper at that side of the machine should be adjusted so far toward the heel end of the last as to involve danger .of such interference, each of the knife holders .52 has formed thereon a lug 59 (Fig. 4) arranged to engage a portion 6%] of the head of the machine to limit rearward swinging movement of the knife under the influence of the spring 156. It will be evident that even though either knife54 is thus positioned initially out of contact with the corresponding gripper casing l0, it will be swung into contact with the casing by the spring .56 immediately after the beginning of the operativemovement of the knife carrier 48.

To-operate-the knives 54 the carrier 48 is swung against the resistance of the spring 58 by a plunger or piston 6| which engages one arm of the carrier and is ,movable in a cylinder 62 formed as part of the bracket 44. The operative movement oftheknives is adjustably limited, to determine the depth of theslits in the upper, by engagement of a bumper 64 on the carrier.48 with a screw .65 threaded in the bracket 44. The plunger 61 is operated by compressed air admitted to the cylinder'62 through a pipe-68. Air is supplied to the pipe 68 from a pipe 10 (Figs. 1 and 5) which leads from .any suitable source of compressed air, such as a factory supply or a suitable pump. Admission of the compressed air to the pipe '68 and the exhaust of air therefrom are controlled .by a sleeve valve 12 which is slidingly movable vertically on a short tube 14 clampedbetween a bracket TSfaston the head of the-machine and a plate 18 secured to the bracket by rods andnuts 82. The lower end of the tube 14 is in communication with the :pipe Hi-and its upper end with the pipefiB. The tube has there in-a partition 84 which closes 1 communication between its upper and lower ends, and extending through it aboveand below thispartition, respectively, are ports Stand 88. The valve 12 is provided with'an annular chamberfifl through which communication-isestablished between the ports 86 and 881when the'valveis moved upwardly from its initial position in -engagement with-aboss 92 on the bracket 16. The valve is'held normallyin engagement with-this boss by a spring 94 located between it and the-plate 1.8. The valve is-moved upwardly against the resistance of the spring by an arm 96 pivotally'mounted on-a pin 98 on the bracket 16, this arm havingpivotally mounted thereon a shoe I00 (Fig. 2) which extends into. an annular groove I02 in the-valve. For operating the arm 96 there is: provided a bar lfi lpivotally mounted on a pin I06 which is carriedby the pre viously mentionedbracket 36 fast onthe slide28. .This bar has a shoulder ltlilarrangedto engage a-block-HU fast-on the armfifi to swing the arm upwardly and thus to lift the valve 12 inresponse .tothat;movement of the slide:28 wherebythe shoe-clamping devices 1 Bare swung l into-engagernent with the shoe. A spring II' Z-e'ngaging a tail end of the 'bar I64 holds the bar normally down on the block III] as illustrated in Fig. 5. Before the slide 28, however, completes its operative movement a finger II4 also fast on the arm 96 engages the bar I04 underneath and lifts it out ofcontact with the block I10, thus releasing the valve I2 to the action of the spring 94 which immediately returns the valve to its initial exhaust position, interrupting communication between the ports 86 and 88 and opening the ports 86 to permit the air to escape from the cylinder 62. 'It will thus be seen that in response'to the single continuous movement of the slide 28 the valve I2 is moved to inlet position to admit compressed air to the-cylinder 62 to operate the upper-slitting knives 54 and is then released to cause it to return to its initial position and open the ports 86 to exhaust, whereupon the knives are returned by the spring 58.

The manner of operation of the machine, in so far as it is of interest with reference to the present invention, will now be briefly summarized. The operator presents a shoe to the machine with the margin of the upper between the open gripper jaws and with the insole against the shoe rest I4, and then starts the machine, whereupon the grippers grip the margin of the upper and pull it heightwise of the last. The machine then comes to a stop with the upper held under tension to permit the operator tomake any necessary adjustment of the upper relatively to the last by manipulating the grippers. When the machine is again started, the upper-clamping devices I6 are swung inwardly to their upperclamping positions by rearward movement of the slide 28. By this movement of th slide the valve I2 is lifted through the action of the bar I64 on the arm 96 to admit compressed air to the cylinder 62, whereupon the plunger 6| is moved downwardly to impart to the knives 54 their upper-slitting movements (Fig. 3) limited by engagement of the bumper 64 with the screw 66, the knives being guided in these movements by the front side-gripper casings I0 and their jaws 6. In response to further movement of the slide 28 the arm 96 is released by the bar I04, whereupon the spring 94 returns the valve I2 to exhaust position to release the air from the cylinder 62. The spring 58 then returns the knives 54 to their initial positions and returns the plunger 6 I. Thereafter the front arm 40 and the sid arms 42 are swung inwardly to cause the wipers which they carry to wipe the margin of the upper over the insole, the several grippers also being swung inwardly and releasing the upper in response to the action of thearms thereon. In this operation the side arms move relatively to the knives 54. Tacks are then driven to fasten the upper in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. Thereafter the parts of the machine not already in their starting positions are returned to such positions. It will be understood that in response to the return movement of the slide 28 the bar I64 again assumes the relation to the block H9 on the arm 96 in which it is shown in Fig. 5.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives guided by said grippers for movements heightwise of the last-to slit the margin of; the upperheld by the grippers, the grippers being movable widthwise of the last relatively to said knives.

-2; In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives guided by said grippers for movements heightwise'of the last to slit the margin of the upper held by the grippers, and means for supporting andoperating said knives, the grippers being arranged to determine the positions of the knives lengthwise only of the last.

3'. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, each of said grippers comprising a pair of uppergripping jaws and a casing extending heightwise of the last and supporting said jaws, of knives guided by toewardly facing surfaces of the gripper casings for movements heightwise of the last to slit themargin of the upper held by thejawsthe grippers being movable widthwise of the last relatively to said knives.

4. Ina machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pullingthe upper heightwise of the last, of knives guided by said grippers for movements heightwise of the last to slitthe margin of the upper .held by the grippers, means movably mounted independently of the grippers for supporting and operating said knives, and. means for maintaining the knives in positions to be guided by the grippers while permitting movements of the grippers widthwise of the last relatively to the knives.

5; In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of

mounted independently of the grippers for.sup-- porting and operating said knives, and spring" means tending to move the knives toward thegrippers relatively to said supporting means to maintain them yieldingly in positions to be guided by the grippers.

6. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination withv grippers for gripping the margirl of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives guided by said grippers for movements heightwise of the last to slit the margin of the upper held by the grippers, meanssupporting said knives and movable thus to operate them, theknives being so mounted as to permit them to move relatively to said supporting means in directions lengthwise of the last, and springs tendingto move the knives lengthwise of the last toward the grippers to maintain them in positions to be guided by the grippers.

'7. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives guided by said grippers for movements heightwise of the last to slit the margin of the upper held by the grippers, a knife carrier supported independently of the grippers -and movable thus to operate the knives, knife holders name noun-ted 9n sa d knit? ter ie t9 the s ire 11 move rela ive t9 th ter er deepe s len thw se .Q he last an se es means tending to move said holders each in one e re wn and e b to mai ta -the K i e i ms en abs u ded th r pper I F? z l p zli l or 92 1313 8 1. h t mbieet en wi h pe s r r p ing he Whig}? 9 F u e a PPQ$ d s'q 31 t and for pull ng t e u pe he h i f t last, of knives guided by said grippers for movements heightwise of the last toslit the margin of the upper held by the grippers, a knife carrier mounted for swinging movement about an axis extending widthwise of the last thus to operate the knives, knife holders pivotally mounted on said knife carrier for swinging movements each about an axis extending widthwise of the last, and spring means tending .to swing said holders each in one direction to maintain the knives in positions to be guided by the grippers.

9. In a machine'for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of van upper at opposite sides'of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, each of said grippers comprising a pair of uppergripping jaws and a casing extending heightwise of the last and supporting said jaws, of knives guided by toewardly facing surfaces of the grip.- per casings for movements heightwise of the last to slit the margin of the upper held by the jaws, means mounted independently of the grippers for supporting and operating said knives, and spring means for yieldingly maintaining the knives in contact with those surfaces of the gripper casings.

10. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, ,of knives guided by exterior faces of said grippers for movements heightwise of the last to slit the margin of the upper held by the grippers, holders for said knives, and supporting means on which said holdersare pivotally mounted, said supporting means being mounted independently of the grippers for swinging movement heightwise of the last to operate the knives.

11. In a machine for operatin on fih9es, the combination with means for gripping the n argin of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, of upper-slitting means movable to slit the margin oi the upper while it is held by said uppergripping means, a fluid-operated device for operatin a upperrslitting me n and mea s e admitting operating fluid to said device and for releasing the fluid therefrom.

12. In a machine for operating on shoes, the cempinetia with me n r pi the ma gin of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, of upper-slitting means movable to slit the margin of the upper while it is held by said upper-gripping means, a fluid-operated device for imparting upper-slitting movement to said upper-slitting means, and a spring f or imparting return movement to the upperrslitting means.

13. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for gripping the margin of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, of upper-slitting means movable to slit the mar: gm of the upper while it is held by said uppergripping means, a fluid-operated device f o r operating said upper-slitting means, a controlling member en for q lc ll 99????95 fil iq to said device and for releasing the fluid theremovementto said upper-slitting means when the air is re eas d r t d 'Clvidei 15. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means fer gripping the margin of an'upper .on a last and for pulling the upper, Q ar e -slit in mean a l to t e ma gin of the upper While it is held by said uppergripping means, a fluid-operated device for impa ti ar e littin m e Said u s-litting means, a valve for admitting compressed air t9 said device and for releasing the air theretroin, a eontrolling member, means for operating said valye .to admit the air to said device and then to release air therefrom in response to a continuous movement of said controlling member' in one direction, and a spring for imparting return movement to the upper-slitting means when the air is released from said device.

16. Ina machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for gripping the margin of an upper von a last and for pulling the upper, of upper-slitting means movable to slit the margin .of .the upper'while it is held by said uppergripping means, a fluid-operated device for operating said uppereslitting means, a valve movable frpnnexhaust to inlet position to admit compressed air to said deyice, a spring for returning the valve to exhaust position to release the air from said device andfmeans for moving said valve to inlet position and for then releasing it to cause it to be returned by its spring to exhaust position while the upper is held by the upper-gripping mean 17. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination Withgrippers for gripping the margin pf an ilpper at opposite sides of a last and fer pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of lgniyes moyable heightwise of the last adjacent to said grippe sto slit the margin of the upper wh le the upper is held by the grippers, and fluidoperated means for operating said knives.

l8. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin f an upper at opposite sides of a last and fer pul ing the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last adjacent to s a d grippers to slit the margin of the upper while the npper is held by the grippers, a knife ear rier supporting said knives and mounted for swinging movement heightwise of the last, and a flui perated device for operating said knife @11 1?- 19. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last adjacent to said grippers to slit the margin of the upper while the upper is held by the grippers, a knife carrier suppgrting said knives and movable heightwise e t e la t to Ope a e than fluid-Operated d vice for imparting operative movement to said knif @31 @3315 9? fidll f i com e air to said device and for releasing the air therefrom, and a spring for returning the knife carrier when the air is released from said device.

20. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last adjacent to said grippers to slit the margin of the upper while the upper is held by the grippers, fluidoperated means for imparting upper-slitting movements to said knives, valve mechanism for admitting compressed air to said fluid-operated means and for releasing the air therefrom, and

spring means for returning the knives when the air is thus released.

21. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last adjacent to said grippers to slit the margin of the upper while the upper is held by the grippers, a knife carrier supporting said knives and movable heightwise of the last to operate them, a fluidoperated device for operating said knife carrier, valve mechanism for admitting compressed air to said device and for releasing the air therefrom, a controlling member, and means for operating said valve mechanism to admit the air to said device and to release the air therefrom in response to a continuous movement of said controlling member in one direction.

22. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last adjacent to said grippers to slit the margin of the upper while the upper is held by the grippers, a knife carrier supporting said knives and movable heightwise of the last to operate them, a fluidoperated device for operating said knife carrier,

a valve movable from exhaust to inlet position to admit compressed air to said device, a spring for returning the valve to exhaust position to release the air from said device, a controlling member, and means for moving the valve to inlet position and for then releasing it tothe action of its spring in response to a continuous movement of said controlling member in one direction.

23. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last to slit the margin of the upper adjacent to said grippers while the upper is held by the grippers, fluid-operated means for operating said knives, devices for clamping the upper at the opposite sides of the last, a slide movable to apply said clamping devices to the upper, and means for admitting operating fluid to said fluid-operated means and for then releasing the fluid therefrom in response to movement of said slide in one direction.

24. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with grippers for gripping the margin of an upper at opposite sides of a last and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, of knives movable heightwise of the last to slit the margin of the upper adjacent to said grippers while the upper is held by the grippers, fluidcperated means for operating said knives, devices for clamping the upper at the opposite sides of the last, a slide movable to apply said clamping devices to the upper, a valve movable to admit operating fluid to said fluid-operated means, a spring for moving the valve reversely to release the fluid from said means, and mechanism for moving said valve into position to admit the fluid and for then releasing it to the action of its spring by the movement of said slide in one direction.

BERNI-IARDT JORGENSEN. 

